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29 Mar Tips About Driving Around Las Vegas

If it’s your first time staying on the Strip, a mix of buses, taxis, monorails and feet will get you to most places. However, if you are planning to venture off the strip to explore all Las Vegas has to offer, here are some tips to help you if you rented a car and you don’t know your way around.

The Las Vegas streets get very congested in the morning and evening rush hours (7–9am, 4–6pm), as well as weekends, when traffic is horrific in tourist areas after 4pm. The Strip is slow-going most of the time and turns into a parking lot when the town is busy.

The nearby parallel streets—Industrial Road and Frank Sinatra Drive to the west, Paradise Road to the east—move faster, and provide access to several casinos. For north–south journeys longer than a block or two, it’s often worth taking I-15, which runs parallel to the Strip. If you’re trying to get east–west across town, take the Desert Inn arterial, a mini-expressway that runs under the Strip and over I-15 (though there are no junctions at either). Because Las Vegas is constantly tearing itself down and rebuilding itself, there’s usually a great deal of road construction going on the I-15. You could always call ahead to check for road conditions, call 1-877 687 6237 or see www.nevadadot.com/traveler/roads.

Speed limits vary in Nevada. In general, the speed limit on freeways is 65mph; on the highway, it’s either 65mph or 70mph. Limits on main urban thoroughfares (such as Tropicana Avenue) are 45mph; elsewhere, limits are 25mph, 30mph or 35mph. Look for signs in construction zones and near schools, which often enforce a reduced limit.

Unless otherwise specified, you can turn right on a red light, after stopping, if the street is clear. U-turns are not only legal (unless specified) but often a positive necessity given the length of the blocks. In case of a car accident, call 911; do not move the cars involved in the accident until the police ask you to do so.

In Nevada, you can be arrested for driving under the influence if your blood alcohol level is 0.08 or higher (or 0.02 for under-21s). If you’re pulled over, the police can give you a drunk-driving test on the spot. If you refuse, you’ll be taken to jail for a blood test, which will be taken by force if necessary.

Here are some tips on which roads to avoid and take throughout the day: